I noticed you mentioned any other advice for the room would be welcomed so I decided to have fun and create a mock-up to give you inspiration. I chose orange but any colour can be used. The room definitely needs texture and visual interest so I chose some distressed furnishings. I do suggest changing the curtains though. They're very bland in the room and aren't heavy enough for the couch. If you like the look of the white curtains then hang more panels to add volume. Mouse over to enlarge image. Have fun! :)

Console table and big art.

When I look at the second pic you posted, standing on the other side of the sectional and looking AT the shelves, I do not think it looks horrible. When I look at them as a console table, I do not think it looks horrible, but then you are right back to square one with the wall.

Standing up, but pulled apart, not pushed together. Got something you can place between them? A skinny wall hanging /art? Tall plant? AHH I got it!!! More gallery pics- same size frame, but thin, and one on top of the other :)

Ok, so my husband and daughter love the shelves way more when placed as a sofa table. It will keep her toys in one spot (when I buy some baskets) and he has a place for his drink on top since we aren't sure if we have room for a coffee table. So if this particular one still doesn't stay, we like the sofa table idea. Maybe if I spend more time styling it, it will become a little more cozy. What do you guys think? I realize it does bring me back to square one with the wall, but that's ok! You all have given really great ideas so far...and more shopping for me!

Grover got it just right.

Robin Lechner, the mirror would reflect a part of our dining room wall, about 20 feet away. I can try to post a photo in the daytime to show what i am talking about. Unless you are referring to a floor length mirror?

Lydia, I like the colors aqua and teal, or gray for the curtains. I see your point about needing thicker curtains to keep up with the weight of the sectional.

Groveraxle, I like it! Is that a canvas painting or framed?

Ok then, tall, skinny, black bookcase starting at square 1?

Canvas painting. http://www.greatbigcanvas.com/view/mapquest,1912486/?s=JhqSaTEuIZy3vobohyAcgdlHXmMcEjzC3M0UkzMl4uyPELprFfikc0V0rA5HLh

Earlier, you mentioned that you would like a large, round silver lamp for your side table. Pottery Barn has a large round silver lamp -- not sure if I'm crazy about the textured base, but thought I'd attach a photo of it. Also, attaching photos of other lamp styles you might want to consider. They can be found at Lamps Plus online. I've purchased from them on three occasions and was very happy with the products and the care they took in shipping.
Christi for ThosBaker

Yay! I'll take them all! :) But really, we have a Lamps Plus about 20 minutes away, so I think I will stop by this weekend to see if they have any of the lamps you posted. Thank you so much Thos. Baker!

If you keep the shelves as a sofa table, I would use a wicker baskets in a few slots. Your daughter could keep her toys in the baskets! Also, a floor lamp would look nice in the empty space between the wall and the end of the bookshelf if you keep it as a sofa table. A palm tree on the empty wall would set off the room and a colorful accent piece at the center of the bookcase/sofa table would provide a fun splash of color to accent the highlights in the artwork on your wall.

You're very welcome butterscotchcharlie -- glad I could be of help! Have fun at Lamps Plus!

You could buy a blank canvas and some paint and have your daughter create a master piece for that area if another piece of art would work there. She will love having baskets all her own for her things in this room. And nice hubby has a place for a drink. A lamp and/or something pretty on the top will set it off in the room, without too much clutter, too.

I borrowed this chalkboard canvas from my daughters room to see what you guys think before purchasing something new. It is 24 x 30. Too small? Add a vase or plant beside it or underneath? Scratch it altogether?

Way too small!

Agree....way too small! I still think you should extend your gallery wall. Hanging just one canvas will look odd and will create an awkward separation as opposed to creating visual flow.

Would you have any purpose for a really cute but smaller pub height table and two stools in this area? I personally think it would be a nice way to bring the spaces together.

I disagree with Lydia. I don't think you want to carry the gallery display beyond the sofa. I think a single canvas in that space will define it and work much better. No smaller than 30 x 40. 36 x 48 would probably be better. Hang a piece of newspaper on the wall to determine the size before you buy.

I think Groveraxle is onto something....a large single canvas at those dimensions hung vertically and evenly spaced between the bookshelf and wall to the left. Buy a large paint canvas instead of a chalkboard canvas, put a little stool beneath it and have your daughter paint a unique piece of colorful art to hang in that space. That would be something you can all enjoy and cherish for a long time.
Christi for ThosBaker

And you can easily control the color of the canvas she would paint by the choices you give her. And it would never be wrong or look bad! Would she even have a little table and chair that could sit under it?

Here's a rough outline of a 36 x 48. Sorry for the horrible lighting, I'm stuck with phone pics for the moment. Large enough? I like the idea of being able to choose what colors go on the canvas. I'm thinking teal, aqua, blue, etc..

Love the idea of a bookcase.

There's a long discussion elsewhere on Houzz dedicated right now to just bookshelves.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/show-us-your-bookshelf-dsvw-vd~784770

I read an earlier suggestion of thicker curtains too. I found these at West Elm.

I think you could do 48x48.

I loved the colors in grover's most recent "big art" example. That muted mustard color would be fantastic with your gray sectional.

If you read and Buy books, get a bookcase. If not, a nice tall plant in front of a mirror ( two for the price of one ;-))

In looking at the mock up for your daughter's art piece, I'd say raise it up so the bottom is level with the back of the sofa and make the height about 2 inches taller. That would be more balanced with the art grouping over the sofa. Abbyjean made a good point -- you can pick the colors she works with.

Sooooo smart to make an outline of the area. So move it up a bit and make it a bit bigger and finalize the colors and have at it. I am excited to see her master piece!!! I have to agree that mustard is a must!!! I like blue, too.

I love kids' art!

Dried natural branches in a large vase with some uplighting.

Love your sectional!! Please tell me where you found it!
I can't wait to see your daughters masterpiece. My only suggestion is to paint your canvas a base color before letting your daughter go to town. It will give the painting a more finished look to not see white canvas.

Thanks for all the great suggestions! I will try to incorporate a mustard yellow into the art. I am going back and forth between letting her paint actual objects like groveraxle's most recent post, or more abstract with random brushstrokes. Ideas are welcomed!

Katbarnes, I bought the sectional at a local furniture store here in San Diego. If you live in Southern California I would recommend it! We love it. Thanks for the tip about a base color, I would've most likely skipped that step. :)

How old is your daughter? That will determine ideas :)

butterscotch, I have done several paintings with my granddaughter and here's my advice. Get the size canvas that you want from hobby lobby the week they are NOT on sale and take a 40% off coupon. get some fairly large tubes of acrylic paint that you want for your decor. I only put the paint colors that I want on a plate for her. Give her a cheap 1 inch brush from home depot (or wherever), and get a couple of other cheap brushes that are slightly smaller.
For your background color, someone suggested that you should paint it and they are right on. Sides of canvas included. You can even use latex house paint if you have any of that around in a color that would work. Let it dry. (I do that every now and then, myself. )You can either roll it on with a small roller, or a bigger brush. Put some grubbies on her and an apron if you please. Take her outside on a nice day and let her go to town. not sure how old the child is, but I have had to direct my granddaughter after a while and tell her to paint here or paint there. Sometimes, because they are small and the canvas is big, they tend to stay in one spot....sometimes just making a big brown mess with several colors. Turn it around and tell her to paint in another area. You may have to stop her every now and then. You may have to join in as well. Squirt a blob of paint color directly from the tube that you like on top of something else, and either you smear it, or let her.
We have created some wonderful paintings together.....and I have even finished a painting into something else after she left, but it would not have turned into the painting it was, without her artistic expression. SO, if you don't want to let her do figures, you can create a wonderful abstract.
And always remember that it's just paint. You can always go over it later and redo! :) Have a ball!!!

I agree with indomom. If she's 5 or under, maybe just random brush strokes. If she's 6 or 7, maybe objects (my 7 year old granddaughter painted the most amazing rooster in school last year!).

GREAT advice on how to approach the painting. Probably get the canvas painted on your own ahead of time. Do you live near Hobby Lobby?

And again, depending on her age, she may be able to do a family portrait or a picture of your home.

A small table for breakfast or nice dinner with two chairs in bright color

Also check in the "oops" paint section at home depot too...sometimes they have small cans of paint that are really cheap!

Another idea (depending on how much control over the final product you want)--you or you and she could paint the canvas one solid color, let that dry, then use frog tape to make an interesting design. She could use the colors you select to paint the "empty spaces" and then what fun to reveal when the tape comes off :)
Sort of like a Mondrian or even less straight-lined than that.

butterscotchcharlie - I just had a thought about your art. Sounds like you have a wonderful plan with your daughter, but if for some reason it doesn't work out, here's another idea. Many people have put this attached Houzz room into their ideabooks and commented on the art above the fireplace. The homeowner couldn't figure out the artist but mentioned she'd bought it in Austin and had spent more on the framing than the art. One day, I was determined to discover the artist and after calling several galleries in Austin, I found him. His name is Paco Felici and he lives in San Antonio now. I called him and he's a really nice guy. He could probably paint a big, colorful original for you and you could have it stretched at a local art store to avoid expensive shipping costs of a large canvas. In case you want to contact him, his e-mail is pacof@aol.com and his website is www.pacof.com.
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Using the shelves as a sofa table is great, lamp on to so reading easier when sat on sectional. A family created canvas is a great idea but make sure it is large enough to fill the space and not too low on the wall. You current "location" on the wall is too low. I would add some colour to the sofa with cushions, but finish the art work first and chose the accent from that.

Just a quick check in. I haven't had time for shopping yet, we went up to LA for the weekend and now have guests over for the football game. Hopefully I'll get in some shopping in soon! I have settled on one of the lamps posted from Lamps Plus, I will just make my decision once I see them all in person. Still looking for the right curtains, I love the neutral modern look, so I'm finding a hard time finding patterned curtains that fit the look.

My daughter is 8, so I think she can draw whatever she likes, I was just thinking more of what might fit in better with everything.

Mpoulsom, such great tips! We will definitely paint outside she it gets a little warmer!

I don't live near a Hobby Lobby, but we do have a Joann's and Michaels.

Indomom, I will keep that in mind! That sounds like something we could all do as a family.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Update. While I really loved the idea of using a giant canvas to take up that spot, after we bought one and hung it up, it just did not feel right. I still plan on having our daughter create a painting on it, we will just find another spot for it!

So, I went back and looked through others suggestions and this is what we ended up with! I extended the gallery wall (most of the art pieces are there as fillers until I find ones I love), bought heavier drapes, placed a tall plant, and brought in a cute little box to make the lamp appear taller. I know they're simple updates and it's not finished, but what do you guys think??

I think the bookcases and plant look great! I still think a bigger lamp might be needed.

That little bit of yellow in the upper left pic really stands out. How about a yellow lamp and some colorful curtains?

Are you really happy with no color? I keep looking for that touch of red!

I'm not a huge fan of color because I tend to get bored easily with it, so I was planning on bringing in color with the art, as it can be easily replaced. I was thinking of yellows, pattikee!

you should check out duke.paints through Houzz.